Alive and Kicking

In an age when most movies are noisy, violent, oversexed, bloody and generally don't do much to provide an enjoyable experience, this old black and white one is gold. No violence, funny acting, memorable characters and a simple plot that keeps you rooting for the people in it. A very enjoyable hour and a half well spent, leaving me with a smile on my face.

"Alive and Kicking" begins after three old women escape from their retirement homes in search of adventure. The coppers are looking for them and they hide out in a motor boat...and they accidentally motor off to sea. There, they are picked up by a Russian trawler and the sailors are quite nice and plan on taking them back to the Soviet Union. However, they are able to convince these Russians to release them to a nearby Irish island. There, they find a seemingly abandoned house and they take refuge there. Soon, however, the new owner shows and he welcomes them. But before they can work out where the three women are going to live, it seems that the man had a heart attack and tumbled into the sea. Now, with no relatives to inherit the place, the three decide they wouldn't really be hurting one if they pretend to be his nieces. Soon they are accepted by the islanders and are quite happy. However, how can they afford to live there? After all, with no money, there's no food!

The story isn't particularly deep but it is cute and enjoyable. My only complaint was the poor use of rear projection in the motor boat sequence. Other than that, it's nice viewing...despite the old ladies being a bit larcenous. If I had to sum of the movie in a word, I'd say...charming.

This piece of Irish whimsy makes "The Quiet Man" look like neo-realism. "Alive and Kicking" is a totally daft delight that finds old ladies Sybil Thorndike, Kathleen Harrison and Estelle Winwood 'escape' from their Old People's Home in England only to end up on an island off the Irish coast where, with the help of the locals, including a young Richard Harris, making his film debut, they set up a business knitting sweaters for the fashion market.

It's all very silly and, if you're Irish, probably deeply patronizing but it's also hugely likable. Harrison and Winwood are excellent but it is Thorndike who steals the show. This grand-dame of British theatre has a grand old time scurrying up and down cliffs in search of birds eggs or hunting rabbits with a shotgun, (well, at least her stand-in does). Stanley Holloway is in it, too as the rich Irish-American who proves to be their saviour. Ripe for rediscovery.

Dame Sybil Thorndike, Kathleen Harrison, and Estelle Winwood are three governesses who escape from a retirement home in England and wind up on a small island off Ireland. There they meet Stanley Holloway, just returned from America. When he goes over a cliff into the sea, they take over his new-bought property and pass themselves off as his nieces. They have no money, so they wind up organizing a sweater industry. But there's a reckoning coming.

The move veers from the three ladies to fits of zaniness, over to beautiful scenic photography and then into gusts of stereotypical humor. It's all carried off in good form, even a subplot about young lovers Richard Harris and Olive McFarland. The three ladies appear too old to carry a movie, especially Miss Winwood, who always looked as if a strong wind would carry her away. No such thing! Dame Sybil, for whom Shaw has written SAINT JOAN, lasted until the age of 93 eighteen years later. The frail Miss Winwood held out until 1983, and 101 years of age; and the ever blowzy Miss Harrison lived to 103, in the year 1995.

No, the story isn't great - but the delivery is really quite good fun. Three elderly ladies, who are not yet ready to be consigned to the scrap heap, pinch a boat and escape from their retirement home. They alight on a tiny Irish island where they befriend the wealthy Stanley Holloway ("MacDonagh") and establish a thriving business with the locals knitting fine Aran sweaters. My personal favourite amongst the runaways was Estelle Winwood's "Mabel", but there are also amusing contributions from Dame Sybil Thorndike ("Dora") and Kathleen Harrison, who wasn't anywhere near her best, as "Rosie". What I had forgotten, too, was that Stanley Holloway had quite a good singing voice - though his delivery is a bit overly theatrical. Add some mischief and some bonhomie - especially with Russian fishing boat captain Eric Pohlmann, and we have an entertaining drama that shows the three having a lark - and that is contagious. Well worth a watch, this.